JONNY QUEST #1, by Dynamite Comics on 8/14/24, begins a new age of adventure when Jonny, Dr. Quest, Race, Hadji, and little Bandit return to Palm Key to find everything looks familiar but not the same.
Credits:
- Writer: Joe Casey
- Artist: Sebastián Piriz
- Colorist: Lorenzo Scaramella
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Chad Hardin (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: August 14, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of JONNY QUEST #1:
First Impressions:
Yeah, that’s the stuff right there. Dynamite Comics tapped writer Joe Casey to shake the dust off the Jonny Quest cast of characters for a new mystery that retains the same spirit of wide-eyed adventure. Jonny and his allies look, speak, and act the same as ever, but without the limitations of cartoon budgets, they’ve got a doozy of a challenge on their hands that hooks you right away.
Plot Analysis:
Jonny Quest #1 begins with Jonny, Dr. Benton Quest, Race Bannon, Hadji, and Bandit returning to their home island of Palm Key after their sailboat endured a freak storm (see the FCBD #0 issue). When they come ashore after only a week’s absence, they notice their familiar home looks a little less familiar, and they feel they’re being watched.
Joe Casey starts the issue on a pitch-perfect note. All the characters have the same voice and personality as the source material. When confronted with a mystery, the characters hesitate but bravely move forward as a team to face whatever they find. Casey’s tale immediately creates an air of suspense and wariness to underscore the mystery of an “altered” Palm Key.
The team heads into the house and looks for clues, eventually finding their way to Dr. Quest’s office and a stack of ledgers and documents. Dr. Quest notices something that startles him in a day planner, so he tells the boys to wait outside. What’s the big deal? The planner contains notes in Dr. Quest’s handwriting, but the dates are several decades in their future.
Dun dun DUUUUNNNNN! Pause for dramatic effect. Any reader well-versed in the sci-fi aspects of Jonny Quest stories would probably guess this twist almost immediately, but Casey pulls back the curtain with a steady pace and dramatic yet believable seriousness. In a clever move, Casey uses the reveal moment to split the group in two, which creates parallel detective stories as Jonny and Hadji go off to make discoveries on their own that add pieces to the puzzle.
Jonny and Hadji go outside and examine the surroundings. Bandit scampers into the jungle when he catches the scent of something strange. Their chase ends when Bandit finds two gravestones with familiar names but confusing dates. Independently, Jonny and Hadji figured out what Race and Dr. Quest already knew.
Suddenly, a squadron of technologically advanced drones arrives and fires missiles at the island. The boys race to take cover, using whatever they can get their hands on as projectiles. Throwing stones or debris isn’t enough, so Race sprints inside the house and suits up with one of their still-working rocket belts and a machine gun. His goal? Take out the drones and prevent the destruction of their sailboat containing an experimental device Dr. Quest believes is the key to their time travel troubles.
The issue concludes with high-flying heroics, new-fangled defenses, an old yet familiar friend, and an old yet familiar enemy.
Overall, Joe Casey understood and nailed the assignment. Jonny Quest #1 is a pristine example of continuing what works from a classic property, with fresh challenges to keep “old” Jonny Quest fans happy and bring new readers on board.
Artwork and Presentation:
If you thought the praise was over, hang on to your jet belt. Sebastián Piriz deserves every bit of adulation as Joe Casey for a comic that looks like a perfect representation of the Jonny Quest aesthetic. Everything from the character figurework to the setting looks amazingly on point. Bonus praise goes to Lorenzo Scaramella for capturing the sunny yellows and highlights of Palm Key with excellent coloring work.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Besides the aforementioned FCBD #0 issue that explains what happened before the team returned to Palm Key, you don’t need any background information to understand this comic. This story could take place anywhere in Jonny Quest’s original series of adventures from 1964 – 1965.
Final Thoughts:
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JONNY QUEST #1 begins a brand new adventure for Jonny and his allies when they return home to an unsettling mystery. Joe Casey recreates the high-flying spirit of adventure and charm of the source material, and Sebastián Piriz’s artwork perfectly captures the look and feel of the original cartoon, enhanced by Lorenzo Scaramella’s amazing coloring. This debut may be one of Dynamite’s best adaptations yet.
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